NMC students OK Fernandez’s accreditation efforts

Nearly a hundred Northern Marianas College students gave Dr. Carmen Fernandez passing marks in a survey that measured how they think she did in working to reaffirm the college’s accreditation.

The evaluation, conducted by the Associated Students of NMC, showed all respondents saying they are satisfied with Fernandez’s performance in getting NMC re-accredited, according to ASNMC president Ivan Mereb yesterday.

Mereb said the students volunteered to participate in the survey.

Saipan Tribune learned that when the Board of Regents asked each community group in the campus to help evaluate the president, the ASNMC opened a registration desk at Room D-1 where all students could pick up the evaluation forms from 8am to 12pm each day.

Mereb said the results of student survey were presented to the Board of Regents last week.

He said the survey results showed that majority of the nearly 100 participants were in favor of Fernandez’s work on the college’s accreditation.

The evaluation forms focused solely on the president’s accreditation performance, asking respondents to rate Fernandez on how she fared in addressing the standards and requirements set by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

NMC successfully completed and submitted on schedule three accreditation reports in March, October, and April 2009.

The college is currently on show-cause status after it failed to address two ACCJC recommendations relating to program review and financing. The status was issued in February.

The accrediting body is expected to decide in June whether to reaffirm or strip NMC of its accreditation.

Although no written report was provided to the Board of Regents of the student survey results, Mereb believes the oral presentation was enough evidence of the students’ “fair and accurate” rating for the president.

When asked how the entire student body views the renewal of Fernandez’ contract, Mereb said: “There are those who support the president and there are those who don’t…”

At present, Mereb said, the ASNMC is focused on staging a successful Charter Day celebration this week.

Last week, honorary faculty senate president Frank Sobolewski said a similar evaluation showed a “split” among faculty members on how they think Fernandez did in her accreditation efforts.

Fernandez’s two-year contract is set to expire this week. The regents are expected to decide soon whether or not to renew her contract.